Sectional overhead door



Dec. 7, 1965 J. F. MOKEE SECTIONAL OVERHEAD DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June S, 1959 was:

Dec. 7, 1965 J. F. MCKEE 3,221,465

SECTIONAL OVERHEAD DOOR Original Filed June 8, 1959 h Il @Ziw

nited States Patent SECTINAL VERHEAD DUUR .lohn E. McKee, Aurora, Ill., assigner to McKee Door Company, a corporation of Illinois Continuation of application Ser. No. 818,774, .lune 8, 1959. This application Enne 28, 1962, Ser. No. 207,159

S Claims. (Cl. 52-656) This application is filed as a continuation of copending application Serial No. 818,774 tiled June 8, 1959 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to overhead door constructions and, more particularly, is concerned with sectional type overhead doors having a plurality of door sections hingedly connected one above the other and provided with rollers adapted for operation in guide tracks fixedly disposed along opposite sides of a door opening.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an overhead door construction employing a bolted assembly of extruded framing rails that is readily adaptable to door sections of various sizes and that facilitates initial assembly and subsequent disassembly should it become necessary to repair or replace one or more parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a door section in the form of a bolted assembly that is of sturdy and lightweight construction and that provides an attractive external appearance in that all of the assembly bolts are masked and no Welding is required.

Still another object is to provide a bolted framing assembly for overhead doors with the assembly having extruded framing members formed with externally threaded integral end extensions for direct securement with assembly bolts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a framing assembly for overhead door sections with the assembly including extruded framing members formed with an integral plate-like stilfener truss that may also serve as a mounting pad for hinge attachments and for supporting bearings for the door rollers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame having an opening that accommodates a glass or metal panel that is removably held in place by a set of removably mounted glazing strips that have mechanical interlocking engagement between the frame and panel.

A linal specii'lc object is to provide hingedly connected door sections each in the form of bolted framing assemblies wherein adjacent supporting and supported framing rails nest together to mask the assembly bolts and to resist transverse flexing while freely accommodating relative swinging movement about each hinging axis.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. l is a front elevational view of a sectional overhead door constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. Z is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view taken approximately in the horizontal plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; v

FIG. 3 is a front-elevational view of an upright framing member or stile used at each end of a door section;

FIG. 4 is a frontelevational view of an upright framing member or stile used intermediately of the end stiles;

FIG. 5 is a side-elevational view of an upright framing member and for convenient reference, is taken on one of the end members, as indicated by the line 5 5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side-sectional view taken approximately in the vertical plane of line 66 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded side-elevational view ICC corresponding generally to that of FIG. 6 and illustrating the several door sections in partially .assembled relationship.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. l thereof, a sectional overhead door is illustrated for pur= poses of disclosure as comprising a top section It), an intermediate section 11 hinged to the lower end of the top section, and a bottom section 12 hinged to the lower end of the intermediate section. These sections have many similar constructional features and for simplicity the intermediate section 11 is selected for detailed description. It includes upright framing members or end stiles 11E and an intermediate stile 111 connected between upper and lower horizontal framing members or rails llU and 11L, respectively, to define a pair of framed openings for removably receiving glass or metal panels 11F. The corresponding parts of the top and bottom sections l0 and l2 are provided with similar reference character sufx-letter designations. Each of the door sections is shown provided with roller assemblies R of any suitable type at its opposite sides.

It will be understood that the overhead door may cornprise any desired number of door sections, each of which may be any desired number of panels wide in accordance with the requirements of the various applications for the door construction of this invention. Doors of the present type nd wide application in service stations and garages, and according to present practice, are furnished to any height in widths of as much as twelve feet. Strength is an important requirement in overhead doors of this type as they are frequently subjected to rugged shocks during opening and closing. One of the ever-present problems in this eld arises from the fact that the diverse applications for overhead doors involve a wide variety of door sizes and the door construction of the present invention is conveniently fabricated to a wide range of size requirements.

According to the present invention, the framing members for each door section are of an extruded aluminum alloy to provide strength and durability as well as an attractive external appearance requiring a minimum of maintenance. The extruded framing members are constructed for ease of assembly with no welding being required, and in the preferred practice of the invention the parts are standardized in size to allow of interchangeable use, and this facilitates ready replacement as well as minimizing costs of both original and replacement parts.

In the preferred door construction illustrated herein for purposes of disclosure, the vertical framing members or stiles are best shown in FIGS. 2-5. The end Stiles 11E are illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 and are aluminum extrusions having a generally box-shaped cross-sectional configuration defining front and rear walls 20 and Ztl, respectively, integrally connected by generally parallel side Webs 22. Preferably, each of the side webs has an enlargement 23 of smooth, circular form, and in the final product, the enlargements extend beyond the remainder of the extruded section to provide integral end extensions 23E that are externally threaded to cooperate with suitable assembly nuts.

Adjacent its innermost side web 22, each end stil includes an integral glazing strip 24 extending obliquely from adjacent the front wall 2@ towards the plane of the rear Wall 21 and terminating in a rearwardly opening mounting pocket or groove for a sealing strip 25 that is adapted for egaging the outer face of the removable panel lll). Also adjacent its innermost side web the rear wall 21 of each end stile includes a straight horizontal extension 26 terminating in an internal shoulder 26S spaced from the side web to deline a locating socket for receiving a retaining rib 27K formed on an angularly shaped removable glazing strip 27. Finally, the inner side web 22 includes a right-angular finger extension 22F extending first laterally and then rearwardly to define, with the side web, a mounting slot for a finger extension 27F of the glazing strip.

The glazing strip 27, when in its mounted position, extends obliquely towards the inner face of the panel 11F to terminate in a mounting pocket or groove for a sealing strip 28 that abuts this inner face. The removable glazing strip 27 is mounted in place after the panel is positioned within the framed opening. The strip 27 is inserted by entering the finger 27F suiiiciently into the slot defined by the web finger 22F to permit the retaining rib 27R to be moved past and seated behind the shoulder 26S. During the insertion of the glazing strip 27, the hollow sealing strip 28 is compressed and distorted against the panel 11F and when the glazing strip is in place, the expansive action of the sealing strip 28 maintains the retaining rib 27K interlocked with the shoulder 26S.

The intermediate stile III is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and it will be understood that the side-elevational view of FIG. applies equally to the end stile of FIG. 3 and to the intermediate stile of FIG. 4. The intermediate stile is an extruded aluminum section having a generally T-shaped cross-sectional configuration defining front and rear walls 30 and 31, respectively, integrally connected by a single web 32. Preferably the connection web has an enlargement 33 of smooth, circular form, and in the final product the enlargement constitutes an integral end extension 33E that is externally threaded to cooperate with suitable assembly nuts. On each end of its front wall 3i), the intermediate stile is provided with an integral glazing strip 34 extending obliquely towards the plane of the rear wall 31 and terminating in a rearwardly opening pocket or groove for a sealing strip 35 that is adapted for engagement with its associated removable panel. At both ends the rear wall 31 extends beyond the plane of the connecting web 32 and terminates in an internal shoulder 31S that is spaced from the connecting web to define a locating socket for receiving a retaining rib 37R formed on an angularly shaped removable glazing strip 37. Finally the connecting web 32 has right-angular finger extensions 32P extending first laterally and then rearwardly to define, with the connecting web, a mounting slot for a finger extension 37F of the glazing strip. The glazing strip, when in its mounted position, extends obliquely towards the plane of the front wall to terminate in a mounting pocket or groove for a sealing strip 38 that abuts the inner face of the panel 11P.

In the fabrication of the stiles 11E and 111, the extruded section is first cut to the illustrated end-to-end height of the circular enlargements and the ends of the stiles are coped about this enlargement to leave the enlargement projecting beyond the remainder of the extruded section. In addition, the front half of the side webs 22 and the integral glazing strip 24, in the case of the end stiles, and the front half of the connecting web 32 and integral glazing strips 34, in the case of the intermediate stile, are cut back as indicated at 29 in FIG. 5 to provide tapered mounting recesses for a corresponding integral glazing strip of the horizontal rail members which will be described presently.

It should be apparent that for each of t-he door sections 10, 11 and 12 shown in FIG. 1 a standard arrangement of end stiles 11E and intermediate Stiles 111 may be employed. The treatment of the horizontal rails, however, is less standardized. The top rail 11U of the top section 10, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, is somewhat different in constructionv than the top rails 11U and 12U, which are, themselves, identical. Correspondingly, the bottom rail 12L of the bottom section 12 is somewhat different in construction than the bottom rails L and 11L of the other two sections.

The top rail MBU has a hollow box-shaped cross-sectional configuration and includes front and rear walls 40 and 41, respectively, connected by integral webs 42.

The lower web 42 is formed with a series of openings adapted to receive the integral end extensions 23E and 33E of the end and intermediate stiles, while the upper web 42 is formed with a corresponding series of access Openings 42A for assembly nuts B that are applied to the threaded end extensions. It will be seen that the nuts are mounted entirely within the box-shaped cross section of the upper rail 10U and thus are conveniently masked and protected. For compatibility with the general ar rangement of the inner marginal walls of the vertical stiles bordering the framed openings, the lower edge of the rail 10U is provided with an obliquely extending integral glazing strip 44 carrying a deformable sealing strip 45, a locating shoulder 41S, and a web finger 42F cooperating with the shoulder 41S to removably receive a glazing strip 47 that carries a deformable sealing strip 4S. The integral glazing strip 44 is shaped to fit snugly in the cut-outs 29 of the vertical lines to cooperate with the integral glazing strips 24 and 34 in forming simulated mitre joints at the corners of the framed openings.

The lower rail 12L of the bottom door section 12 is also of hollow box-shaped cross-sectional configuration and in-v cludes front and rear walls 50 and 51, respectively, connected by integral webs 52. The upper web 52 is formed with a series of openings adapted to receive the integral end extensions 23E and 33E of the end and intermediate stiles, while the lower web 52 is formed with a corresponding series of access openings 52A for assembly nuts B that are applied to the threaded end extensions. It will be seen that the nuts are again mounted entirely within the box-shaped cross section of the rail 1.2L. For compatibility with the general .arrangement -of the inner marginal walls of the vertical stiles bordering the framed openings, the upper edge of the rail 12L is provided with an obliquely extending integral glazing strip 54 carrying a deformable sealing strip 55, a locating shoulder 51S, and a web finger 52F cooperating with the shoulder 51S to removably receive a glazing strip 57 that carries a deformable sealing strip 58. The integral glazing .strip 54 is shaped to fit snugly in the cut-outs 29 of the vertical stiles to cooperate with the integral glazing strips 24 and 34 in forming simulated mitre joints at the corners of the framed openings. The bottom side of the rail 12L is formed with undercut grooves for receiving the headed ends of a U-shaped strip S9 that provides a seal for the bottom edge of the door. The strip 59 masks the openings 52A, and it is therefore, applied after the nuts are inserted in the openings 52A.

The rails 11U and 12U, being identical, are defined by similar reference characters, and each has a hollow box-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined by front and rear walls 60 `and 61, respectively, connected by integral webs 62. The lower web 62 is formed with a series of openings adapted t0 receive the integral end extensions 23E and 33E of the vertical stiles, while the upper web 62 is formed with a corresponding series of access openings 62A for assembly nuts B that are applied to thethreaded end extensions. It will again be seen that thenut-s are mounted entirely within the box-shaped cross section of the upper rails 11U and 12U. The lower edge of each of the rails 11U and 12U is provided with an obliquely extending integral glazing strip 64 carrying a de formable sealing strip 65, a locating shoulder 61S and a web finger 62F cooperating with the shoulder 61S to re` movably receive a glazing strip 67 that carries a deformable sealing strip 68. The integral glazing strip 64 is shaped to fit snugly in the cutouts 29 of the vertical stiles for again forming simulated mitre joints at the corners of the framed openings. Each of the horizontal rails 11U 4and 12U also functions as la support for the door section to which it is hinged, and therefore each rail is provided with an upstanding rear wall extension 61E that terminates in an inwardly offset shoulder for defining an elevated mounting notch 61N adapted to receive a depending rib of the corresponding lower horizontal rail and is` provided with an upstanding rib 60E adjacent and spaced inwardly from the plane of the front wall to define a mounting notch 60N adapted to receive another depending rib of the corresponding lower horizontal rail.

The lower horizontal rails llL and ML, being identical, are defined by similar reference characters and each has a roughly T-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined by front and rear walls 7G and 71, respectively, connecte-d by an integral web 72. The web 72 is formed with a series of openings adapted to receive the integral end extensions of the vertical stiles and on its upper edge is provided with an obliquely extending integral glazing strip 74 carrying a deformable sealing strip '75, a locating shoulder 71S, and a web finger 72F cooperating with the shoulder 71S to removably receive a glazing strip '77 that carries a deformable sealing strip 78. The integral glazing strip 74 is shaped to fit snugly in the cutouts 29 of the vertical stiles to form neat, simulated mitre joints at the corners of the frame openings.

Each of the lower horizontal rails ltlL and lllL is adapted to nest on top of the upper horizontal support rail of the adjacent door section and therefore is provided with a depending front wall extension 70E that terminates in a foot adapted to seat in the notch 60N along the upper front edge of the support rail and Ia depending rear wall extension or rib 'lR adapted to seat in the notch 61N.

As is best seen in FIG. 6, the cooperating depending and upstanding projections on the webs 72 and 62, respectively, space these webs apart a distance suicient to provide clearance for the nuts B attached to the lower end of the vertical stiles, and this provides an effective housing for the nuts when the door sections are in aligned relationship.

As is apparent from a consideration of FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, each of the lower horizontal rails 10L and llL is provided with an integral plate-like stiifener truss 79 that extends substantially the full width of the door section to give it lateral rigidity. The trusses 79 also preferably serve as `a convenient mounting pad for a hinge mechanism 80, one leg of which, 81, is secured by suitable fastener assemblies SF to the truss '79 and the other leg of which, 82, is suitably secured to the rear wall 61 of the support rail by a suitable fastener assembly SZF. The fastener SEF may also serve to mount a support bearing 83 to the truss 79 with the support bearing having a bore 33B for the axle of the door roller assemblies.

To assemble a door constructed in accordance with the present invention, the sealing strips 45, 55, 65 and 75 of the integral glazing strips d4, 54, 64 and 74, respectively, may first be applied. The lower end extensions 23E and 33E of the vertical Stiles lilE and 11i, respectively, are then inserted through the webs 52 and '72 of the lower horizontal rails of the various door sections and bolted in place. The upper horizontal rails are then applied over the upper end extensions 23E and 33E and bolted in place, as indicated in FIG. 7. Thereafter, the hinges d@ and support bearings 83 Vare fixed in place to complete the assembly of the door.

To facilitate assembly of the vertical Stiles and horizontal rails in accurate, flush, faced relation, each of the vertical stiles is provided with locating end extensions, these extensions being shown and described only with relation to the end Stiles, though it is to be expressly understood that the same construction is employed for the intermediate Stiles.

Referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the opposite ends of the side webs 22 are provided with integral end extensions 22E and that the opposite ends of the front wall .20, as indicated at 20E, project beyond the line of the cut-outs 29.

It will be seen by reference to FIG. 7 that the side web upper end extensions 22E have locating abutment with the web fingers 41213 and GEF of the upper horizontal rails, while the lower end extensions 22E have locating abutment with the web ngers 52F and 72F of the lower horizontal rails. Similarly the front wall extensions 20E are received in external locating notches defined by the integral glazing strips 44, 54, 64 and 74 of the various horizontal rails. These locating stops accurately determine the assembled. relationship of the vertical stiles and horizontal rails and they prevent accidental shifting or displacement of the members while they are being bolted together. Thus, smooth joints are readily obtained in the assembly iof the door sections.

It will be seen that the door sections swing about the hinge axis A and the nesting relationship of the bearing and support rails at each hinge freely accommodates this movement. When the door sections are aligned., the nested relationship of the bearing and support rails masks the assembly nuts and, in addition, acts to oppose transverse flexing of the door.

It should be understood that the description of the preferred form of the invention is for the purpose of complying with Section 112, Title 35, of the U.S. Code and that the claims should. be construed as broadly as prior art will permit.

I claim:

1. A frame element for incorporation in a sectional overhead door or the like and comprising a one piece homogeneous extruded section having, as integral homogeneous portions thereof, a lengthwise web integrally connecting transversely spaced, lengthwise extending front and rear walls of the section, said web having an integral enlargement at a location intermediate of said walls and extending the length of the web, with said. enlargement having an integral and extension projecting endwise beyond adjacent regions of the web and having an externally threaded attachment surface.

2. A frame element for incorporation in a sectional overhead door or the like and comprising a one piece homogeneous extruded metal section having, as integral homogeneous portions thereof, a lengthwise web integrally connecting transversely spaced., lengthwise extending front and rear walls of the section, said web having an integral enlargement at a location intermediate of said walls and extending the length of the web, with said enlargement being circular in transverse cross section and having an integral end extension projecting endwise beyond adjacent regions of the web and having an externally threaded. attachment surface.

3. A frame element for incorporation in a sectional overhead door or the like and comprising a one plate homogeneous extruded metal section having, as integral homogeneous portions thereof, a lengthwise web integrally connecting transversely spaced, lengthwise extending front and rear walls of the section, said web having an integral enlargement at a location intermediate of said walls and extending the length of the web, with said enlargement having an integral end extension projecting endwise beyond adjacent regions of the web and having an externally threaded attachment surface having a transverse cross section corresponding in size to the transverse cross section of the main length of the enlargement.

4. A frame member for an overhead door or the like and comprising a one piece homogeneous extruded metal section having as integral homogeneous portions thereof, a lengthwise web integrally connecting transversely spaced., lengthwise extending front and rear walls of the section, said web having an enlargement along its full length at a location intermediately of said walls, with said enlargement having upper and lower integral end extensions projecting beyond the remainder of said web, with each such extension having an externally threaded attachment surface and having substantially the same shape and. size cross-section as the main portion of said enlargement.

5. A frame member for an overhead door or the like and comprising a one piece homogeneous metal extrusion defining a hollow, generally box-shaped cross-sectional coniguration having, as integral homogeneous portions thereof, transversely spaced, lengthwise extending front and rear walls integrally connected by each of a pair of spaced, lengthwise extending side webs, at least one of said webs having an enlargement along its full length at a location intermediately of said walls, with said enlargement having upper and lower integral end extensions projecting beyond the remainder lof said web, with each such extension having an externally threaded attachment surface and having substantially the same shape and size cross-section as the main portion of said enlargement.

6. A door section for an overhead door or the like and comprising a generally rectangular frame having a set of upper and lower rail members for connection to a set of `stile members extending therebetween adjacent opposite ends thereof, each of the members of one of said sets comprising a one piece homogeneous extruded metal section having, as integral homogeneous portions thereof, a lengthwise web integrally connecting transversely spaced apart, lengthwise extending front and rear walls thereof, said web having an integral homogeneous enlargement along its full length at a location intermediately of said walls, with said enlargement having opposite integral end extensions projecting beyond the remainder of said web, with each such extension having substantially the same shape and size cross-section as the main portion of said enlargement, each of the members of the other of said sets having a connection web for engagement with corresponding ends of the members of said. one set, said connection webs having openings receiving said integral end extensions, and releasable means engaged between the attachment surfaces of said extensions and the adjacent connection web to secure the members into a rigid framing assembly.

7. A door section for an overhead door or the like and comprising a generally rectangular frame having between the rails for connection therewith adjacent opposite ends thereof, each `of said stiles comprising a one piece homogeneous extruded metal section having a lengthwise web integrally connecting horizontally spaced apart, vertically extending front and rear walls thereof, said web having an integral homogeneous enlargement along its full length at a location intermediately of said. walls, with said enlargement having integral upper and lower end extensions projecting beyond the remainder of said web, with each such extension having an externally threaded integral homogeneous attachment surface and having substantially the same shape and size cross-section as the main portion of said enlargement, each of said rails having a lengthwise connection web for abutment with corresponding ends of said stiles, with said connection webs having openings receiving said threaded integral end extensions, and nuts mounted in threaded engagement on said extensions and disposed behind said connection webs to secure said rails and stiles into a rigid framing assembly.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein each stile has a pair of integral homogeneously extruded endwise extending locating stops at each of its opposite ends and wherein the lengthwise connection web of said rail has a pair of horizontally spaced lengthwise extending locating stops projecting therefrom for cooperation with the locating stops at the corresponding ends of the stiles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,701,041 2/1955 Toth 189-78 2,892,496 6/1959 Stroup i60-229 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,011,738 4/1952 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FRAME ELEMENT FOR INCORPORATING IN A SECTIONAL OVERHEAD DOOR OR THE LIKE AND COMPRISING AT ONE PIECE HOMOGENEOUS EXTRUDED SECTION HAVING, AS INTEGRAL HOMOGENEOUS PORTIONS THEREOF, A LENGTHWISE WEB INTEGRALLY CONNECTING TRANSVERSELY SPACED, LENGTHWISE WEB INTEGRALLY AND REAR WALLS OF THE SECTION, SAID WEB HAVING AN INTEGRAL ENLARGEMENT AT A LOCATION INTERMEDIATE OF SAID WALLS AND EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF THE WEB, WITH SAID ENLARGEMENT HAVING AN INTEGRAL AND EXTENSION PROJECTING ENDWISE BEYOND ADJACENT REGIONS OF THE WEB AND HAVING AN EXTERNALLY THREADED ATTACHMENT SURFACE. 